


Epiphany

by mochibunn



Category: Voltron - Fandom, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Voltron: Lion Voltron
Genre: Bigfoot - Freeform, Gore, Keith Is Gay AF, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Merman Lance, Voltron, like super gay, mermaid, mermaid lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 23:46:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10932510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mochibunn/pseuds/mochibunn
Summary: (n) a sudden realizationAll it took was a moment, a single moment. A flash of scales and I was tugged into the embrace of a deeper meaning, and my story- no, our story- truly began.This is the story of how my hunt for the elusive Sasquatch led to the dance this creature pulled me into. The water melts his skin and chokes my lungs, pulling me deeper into our little fantasy world, a place that should only be ours.





	1. ≈≈Prologue≈≈

   I could start this story at the beginning, about how I was born with the umbilical cord around my neck, and how my parents weren't really involved with my life before putting me up for adoption, all that sad David Copperfield crap, but I really don't feel like it right now. That's all for another time.  
   I'm here to tell you the story of a merman, and how he changed my life. The story of the contrast between his scales and my flesh as he would brush against my legs and hands, and about how we would dance in the water- of course him, being more gracefull- and how we'd sit in that little divet in the shore for hours just talking.  
  


	2. Chapter 2

   "What happened to all the lemons?" Shiro lifted the last lemon before I grabbed it, rolling it between my hands.  
   "I had to dilute my scent. Bigfoot would smell me." Shiro gave a sceptical glance as he tried to take the lemon back, but not before I had it shoved in my pocket. Safe keeping for later.  
   "Keith- God you smell, take a shower!" He reeled back, covering his mouth and nose as I grabbed my bag off the chair.  
   "Once again, bug foot hunting. I can't shower till I'm back." I slipped my shoes on with ease as I swung the front door open. "See ya, Shiro!" He simply grunted back, already facing the oven and the two boiling pans once more.  
   I slung my bag over my shoulder, slipping onto the seat of my bike as I waited for the garage door to open, and then I was off. My bike groaned under my weight as I forced it faster than it wanted to go, but I silently sent it death threats for being so bothersome; it was honestly super shitty to listen to.  
   Houses passed quickly, the proximity between them growing farther and farther apart as more and more trees appeared. Soon enough, the road started to spiral and turn as I reached the more hilly forest area, I could see the expanse of lake Michigan past them, the high cliff between the lake and I only a few yards away from the road. If it weren't for the trees, it would be rather easy to steer a car over the edge.  
   As soon as that thought crossed my mind, a truck full of highschoolers drove by, all carelessly chanting along to the song that blasted through the cracked window. Most of them had wet hair and sand caked arms, the scent of lake water and algea trailing after them. All of them were too busy getting lost in their music to notice me, the driver hardly managing to swerve and leave enough distance between us.  
   My camera bag rattled against my side as I continued on, the sign to the park popping up, and I slowed down. The parking lot was nearly empty since it was still early for a summer morning. It probably wasn't a good place to hunt for bigfoot at all, since it was Door County's biggest tourist attraction, but it was the closest big forest. The only one Shiro let me go to since I can't drive yet.  
   I set my bike up against a thin tree, chaining it up before I tugged out my camera. I set my water bottle into the open bag, following the worn down trail. Almost an hour into my trek, I turned off and into the forest, careful to avoid the large roots. The brush was sparce, and I realised this was the worst area to search for a shy, elusive ape man. I crept back onto the trail, playing with my camera's settings as I made my way to the lake side trail.  
   A splash a few yards shook me from my focused state, the sound of a high pitched squeal echoing around the tops of the trees. It was unlike anything I'd ever heard around the lake before. None of the birds around here made such a broad, high noise; none were big enough to do so. It was almost alluring, like a siren's call, and before long I found myself growing closer and closer to the shore, the scent of lake water and sun dried algae assaulting my nose. A cove appeared once the trees ended, the water calm and clear.  
   Clear enough that the flash of scales was as obvious as day, along with the human body attached from the waist up. I couldn't move, not even when the head turned up and piercing blue eyes stared directly into my own.


	3. ≈≈Chapter 2≈≈

   I dug my toes into the carpet, mushing it together as I leaned back. Shiro makes his way into the room, a remote and a cup of tea in hand as he sits down on the couch in front of me.  
   "What are you doing?" He asks, setting the remote down next to him.  
   "Listening." I reply, focusing on the noises around me. There isn't much to hear but birds and the whir of appliances.  
   "Listening for what?"  
   "Rain." At this, he scoffs, turning on the TV. There's a moment filled with short pieces of skipped channels before he lands on the news.  
   "It's not supposed to rain till this weekend." Shiro laughed softly as I sat up, wrapping my arms around my knees.  
   "I was told it's gonna rain today- the mermaid man said so. That's why I can't go see him."  
   "Keith, there's no such thing as mermaids- we don't even live near the ocean!" Shiro shook his head as he took a sip of his tea. "I swear, you go hunt for an ape and you come back convinced there's a merman in Cape Point. I bet it's the water pollution. That lake is filthy."  
   "It's not that dirty."  
   "Have you seen Sheboygan county? They have dead fish floating up along the shore everywhere- you can't even swim there without catching some sort of disease!" I sat quietly; he did have a point. We went there to stay at Blue Harbour, but the entire beach was filled with the corpses of tiny dead fish. We stayed in the hotel and played at the water park, rather than swimming in the lake. Since then, Shiro doesn't even touch the shore.  
   The pitter patter of raindrops against the window drew the attention of the both of us, Shiro's mouth gaping in awe.  
   "I told you it would rain." I gave him a triumphant grin.  
   "You got lucky." After he finished his tea, he stood up and headed for the kitchen, brewing himself another cup. Most people here in Wisconsin were alcoholics, but Shiro was a tea-a-holic. Six cups a day, and three boxes a month. Sometimes four, if I try hard enough.  
   "Lerechauns are lucky, I'm not." Shiro scoffed again, getting out three more packets of sugar to add to his pile.  
   "Why did I ever show you that documentary?"


	5. Chapter 5

   The bike ride back to the little cove with water made of glass took too long. It had rained for two days, and my worry that the mermaid was gone had increased ten fold. The possibility that he had lied to me was painstakingly high, especially if you considered his species. Although, most the books and documentaries on merfolk had already gotten most things wrong.  
   Like how they emit the most delicious smell, something like the ocean and flowers mixed with a musky, hormonal scent. It the way their eyes were so human, yet so not- a hard to mistake third membrane for underwater excursions for one- and the way that their iris radiated with warmth and light. It was so very, very breathtaking, really. Luckily they looked nothing like the ones in that Animal Planet documentary series. I didn't know if I could stomache a real life version after eating cereal with the milk.  
   I had already chained my bike up with shakey hands before I was bolting along the path. A fleet of emotions built up inside- excitement, fear, nervousness- and then I was at the waters edge, the waves lapping over the rock. They were stronger today, the water mucky after the rain stirred up dirt and runwater from farms. It wasn't mucky enough to hide the glimmer of scales or choke the fleeting chirps and clicks as the merman pulled himself to the rock beside me, his arms flexing with the motion.  
   I was sitting next to him in a moment, hands gripping at the sleeves of my sweater as I smiled awkwardly.  
   Awkwardly, _awkwardly!_ What exactly did one say to a mermaid they've only spoken to for an hour? Did they discuss the weather? Did they even know what weather was? Well of course, he knew it would rain; he had to know.  
   Maybe a good place to start would be his name, in all honesty. He never did ask the mermaid's name, how rude. Before he got the chance though, the mermaid ran his nose along Keith's cheek in a greeting and cooed, his tail splashing happily.  
   "Hello again! I thought you wouldn't come back-" the mermaid smiled softly, using his arms to slip back into the water and dip his gils beneath the waterline. The only thing visible was a single arm and a head, his fingers curled around my sleeve now.  
   "Ah, honestly, I was afraid of the same thing." I turned my gaze away for a moment as I said this, but when my gaze flicked back, his ear fin things had flared up and his gaze filled with joy. Again, he was affectionately rubbing his face against my hand, a slur of clicks rolling out of his throat. I almost fell in the water as he pulled my hand closer, nudging his nose against the palm.  
   "Ah, what do I call you?" I breathed out softly, the moment fading as he released my hand. His face held a softer, almost sleepy expression as he let himself slowly spin in front of me.  
   "My pod mother always called me Lance, but no one else spoke English. You can call me Lance, though. If you want." I nodded tensly, at a loss for words. He smiled widely at me, and all the tense nervousness suddenly dispersed.  
   "What does your pod call you?" Lance chirped.  
   "Ah, I'm called Keith- but I don't really have a pod, just a dad." I rubbed the back of my neck, laughing softly when Lance gave a confused look.  
   "What's a dad?" Oh, oh boy. How do you explain a dad?  
   "Uh-" I gave another choked laugh, my mind stumbling over the question. "He's like, the guy who protects you while telling weird jokes. And he drinks a lot of tea- that's probably just Shiro though. Uh, he's the one who makes sure the house, pod, is protected? A mom can do that too though..." I swallowed, giving Lance an uncertain glance. He simply laughed at this, pulling himself back up onto the rock in front of me.  
   "A dad sounds cool- can I meet Shiro dad?" There was a soft coo after his words, sending a shiver down my spine.  
"I don't- I don't know?" We sat silently after that. He played with my hands, and made soft noises. I didn't understand what they meant, at least, not yet.


	6. ≈≈Chapter 4≈≈

   "What's the big occasion? You never use your money." Shiro chuckled as we walked through the store. He had noted immediately, before the trip even began, that I had brought my wallet. I hadn't really suspected him to notice so easily; don't most teens love shopping?  
   "Friend's birthday present. They like water and stuff, so I thought I'd get them bubbles and a few water guns." Shiro simply puffed out his cheeks, leaning against the shopping cart as it rattled down the aile.  
   "Sounds like a ton of bull, but I'll take the bait. Since when did you have friends?"  
   "Since I met a merman."  
   "Fair enough" we continued on in silence once more, only breaking it when we split up to get what we need.  
   "Meet you in the front in thirty, 'kay?" Shiro grinned as I nodded in response.

~≈~

   "Keith, I get that you like this merman dude, but do you really need three gallons of bubbles?" Shiro held the bottle in his hand as we stood at the cash register. The cashier flashed a confused, yet emotionless smile as she continued to ring up our items.  
   "Shiro, I'm 17. Let me get my fuckin' bubbles." There was a grumble from him as he set the bottle down, turning back to the cashier.  
   "Where's your bubble money dork, gotta pay." Shiro pulled out a small wad of cash, handing it to the cashier. I pulled out my wallet and stared down into the dark, empty abyss that peered back at me; promptly turning it upside down and shaking it revealed that I had been in fact robbed. "Dude are you serious-"  
   "I should have like three hundred what the he-"  
   "Did you ever even take it out of the bank? Why would you carry that much in cash?" Shiro's stare would make me squirm if I wasn't used to it.  
   "No, it should be here though-"  
   "Keith, money can't teleport between the bank and your wallet. I'll pay but you owe me!" Shiro turned back and payed, a smug grin on his face as the cashier was more than happy to wrap this up.

~≈~

"Lance?" I sat down besides the water's edge, feet swinging happily as I waited for the merman. I didn't have to wait long, of course, a stream water jetting me in the face. I rubbed it away and spluttered, gazing down as Lance puffed out his cheeks and gave a shrill laugh, like bells fluttering in the wind.  
"It's been so long, Keef!" The merman pulled himself from the water with ease, droplets flying as he whipped his tail from the shallows and let it fall behind him.  
"It's only been a day-"  
"What's in the bag?" Lance ignored my remark as he lunged forward, sliding over my lap as his tail coiled around my legs to help support himself. It reminded me of a snake clinging to your arm, and I would be amused if he wasn't ten times larger and twice as terrifying in this position. "It smells like land fruit! The ones that grow on threads!"  
"Grape- it's grape scented bubbles-" I tried to push him off, but his tail only coiled tighter around my body, a single hand gripping my hair as later back, tugging at the bottles lid.  
"Can I drink it? Or eat it? Is it good?" Lance fired off question after question as I fell limp in his clutches.  
"Don't eat or drink it, you'll get sick. It's to play with."  
"How? What's this stick thing?"  
"Blow on the stick-" there was a moment of silence, followed by the sound of rushing air, and then an excited gasp.  
"Air bubbles! Like under water, except these can float in air!" I couldn't see his face, the giggles and clicks followed by a cloud of bubbles brought a smile to my face. I layed wrapped up in his tail and couldn't help but smile.


End file.
